1. What the All Blacks want, the All Blacks get.

I don't mind that, as long as when they want stupid things (ie, players sitting in the stands but not running around on the field) they get told to bugger off.

1. What the All Blacks want, the All Blacks get.

Which, I think, is the way it should be.
Again, the Currie Cup model could be applied here.

You'd think there would be some simple guidelines which dictate how the All Blacks and provinces relate.

Ah, but you forget the first rule.

1. What the All Blacks want, the All Blacks get.

You'd think there would be some simple guidelines which dictate how the All Blacks and provinces relate.

1. All Blacks have a number that they can include in their squad – say 30.…

Are the likes of Gear, Ellison etc physically in Sydney? If so, I can understand, although not necessarily agree with, it.

No, Tamati is in Wellington, resting up his torn hamstring.

@Kyle Good point re: the shield, but it may have been that the NZRU saw that as a fixture…

But then, I suppose when you hold it for such long lengths of time, you get a bit complacent with it...

The coaches and players didn't look complacent when I saw them (Bringing it with you when you go out for coffee isn't complacency but pride I'd say :-) And…

Agree it's a strange decision to stay in Surfers.

Not only will incite an affronted bell-ringing fury from the crowd, but it's shades of All Blacks in the South of France 1999.

Hmm; where did I get Sydney from?

Must be subliminal AB De Villiers tracking going on.

He's on the Gold Coast at the moment.

(to which I have to add: Hamilton vs Gold Coast. Even my nationalistic fury will acknowledge that's not a difficult choice of where to spend a…

Hmm; where did I get Sydney from?

Must be subliminal AB De Villiers tracking going on.

And then, if they get injured AND someone above them in the ABs [don't forget there's no lock cover at the moment], the entire point of bringing them in as injury cover and teaching them the plays etc is negated.

There has to be a balance. I don't have a…

If not, it’s 2007 Gone Mad.

On a contrary note – Graham Henry's decision to keep Wyatt Crockett, Colin Slade and Tom Donnelly watching in the stands is seriously fan-unfriendly. Why can't they be playing Ranfurly Sheild rugby?

The guys aren't in the team, or the reserves, send them to Christchurch to play in the game.…

On a contrary note – Graham Henry's decision to keep Wyatt Crockett, Colin Slade and Tom Donnelly watching in the stands is seriously fan-unfriendly. Why can't they be playing Ranfurly Sheild rugby?

Aye. While I'm glad we avoided the war that the English Rugby Union has to go through to…

But then, I suppose when you hold it for such long lengths of time, you get a bit complacent…

The cafe nearest my house (I work from home, and sometimes from the cafe) is opposite Rugby Park.

Canterbury's coaches, staff, and team members are sometimes…

If true, that's insanely damaging; if the corruption's that insitutionalised then it's hard to see how you could regard any results as legitimate.

Well, yeah, but...couldn't that just be trying to play into the conspiracy theory that the NBA does everything it can to make the Lakers win? It turns…

For every Dennis Rodman there's a Michael Jordan.

It's weird that I think that Rodman would be the lesser jerk of those two.

Basketballers tend to be the ones using internet video services for what they think are good ideas.

Ron Artest.

Truwarier!

The referees are a very different story indeed.

The scorekeepers aren't that crash hot either.

And there was that brawl a couple of years ago between some players and fans.

You're thinking of Ron Artest.

He's 100% genuine free-range funny farm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD796H08J7w

I was going to post: "It's always seemed (relatively) worse to me with basketballers, though I base this on nothing other than impressions of what I've seen in the media."

For every Dennis Rodman there's a Michael Jordan.

Oh and Drew Brees.

True, although that argument can be made for every (professional) sport ever, I think.

I was going to post: "It's always seemed (relatively) worse to me with basketballers, though I base this on nothing other than impressions of what I've seen in the media."

And then thoughts of representation and…

I have to say, for all the shit that gets bandied about around both our police and our top-level sporting figures, we just don't seem…

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/nhl_tries_to_woo_fans_by

NBA basketballers and their treatment of women doesn't have a particularly good reputation.

True, although that argument can be made for every (professional) sport ever, I think.

They hurt animals.

And the sadistic rat bastard was immediately rehired! (Although yes, I think people should serve their time and get another chance and yadda, this issue is particularly galling to me, because of my deep and abiding love for our canine friends.)

NBA basketballers and their treatment of…

So just remember that next time you're fawning over the pretty boys and girls, they will always come back to hurt you.

Words to live by.

I could be looking at this through rose-tinted lenses, but the NBA seems relatively free from the kind of steroid/assaulty bad behaviour you're talking…